Improvement in apparatus for the manctf actors of elastic fabrics



camita emita CHARLES A. ENSIGN, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNEGTIGUT.

Letters Patent N o. 106,924, lated August 30, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pait of the sama.

To'all whom it'may con-cern: Be it known that I, GHARLEs A. Elysian of Naugatuck, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Machine for Outting and Hemming India-rubber Fabrics; and I do hereby declare-the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a` full, clear, and exact description of the same, and

whichtsaid drawing constitutes part of this specifica-- tion, and represents in- Figure 1, a top view; Figure 2,.a side view; 'igure 3, a front view; and in Y Figures 4, 5, and 6, sectional views, to illnstrate'the .operation of the machine.

'.lhis invention relates to the construction of a machine to facilitate the cutting and hemmingot India rubber or gummcd fabrics, that is to say, fabrics- .whiclrare coated with Inda-rubber or similar gums, and which are required to be cut into strips previous to vulcanization, made with special reference to cntting the diagonal fabrics known as the Tycr and Helm patent of 1856, but alikeapplicable tothe cutting of 4other gummed fabrics, the object of the machine being to feed or deliver thefabrc, to hold the fabric while being cut, and to hem or double the fabric, so as to press the gummed surfaces doubled together; and

The invention consists. in the .arrangement of a movable jaw or clampt-hrough which the fabric passes, combined with a lslotted bar, through which the knife is inserted, guided by the-said slot, to"cut the fabric.

Also, in'combining therewith a folder for hemming the fabric;

A is the table, upon which the machine is supported.

'13, a plat-form, over which thefabric passes, deliveredfrom a roll, supported in bearings b, as seen in fig`f2, the fabric being first gummed preparatory to vnlcanization.

a and d are the two parts of a clamping device, the part al hinged to an upright, O, onthe part d, and the part ll fitted to move in suit-able guides on -the table B. These parts are represented as working diagonally across the table,as required in cutting the diagonallywoven fabric before referred to. It may be proper here to remark that this fabric is used chiefly in malt- .ing the `elastic gore for over and other shoes. 'lhe clamping device is moved by the hand of the operator, a loop, D, extending forward for that purpose.

E is a cross-bar, slotted, as seen in figs. 4, 5, and 6, and fitted to move qup and down, properly guided in posts F, and is so moved, by the opgrator, by means of a treadle, G, connected to the said bar E, as seen in iig. .3'.

Immediately below the bar Ev is arranged another bar, f, the front edge of which is in line with theslot through the bar E; and this said bar j is arranged upon springs i, so' as to' be depressed by the bar E, as seen in fig, 5,- and so as, by the reaction of the spring, to be raised,as seen in fig. 4, when free from the pressure of the bar E.

` 'lhe fabric is passed through the clamping device, V and below the bars E and f, and the clamping device,

having been previously adjusted, is thrown back, as seen in fig. 4; then drawn forward, as denoted by broken lines, fig. 4, bringing th'e fabric with it, pass ing it out to the front, below the -two bars E and f,- then the bar E isdepressed, as seen in iig. 5, grasping the fabric between the said two bars; then the clamping device is thrown back, to take a new hold upon the fabric, and the operator, passing his knife VYthrough 'the slot in the bar E, and guided by the said slot, draws the knife .across the fabric, cutting oi a. strip, their the barE is raised, which frees the strip, sothat it'may'be removed. 'The clamp is again drawn forward, bringing the fabric with it, the bar depressed, and a strip out as before, and so continuing, successive strips being cut at each operation'.

'lo hem one edge, or double the fabric, I arrange upon the bar E a blade, n, denoted in solid black, s'o as to pass down forward of the ledge m, and a slide, s, in front, so thatthe blade will pass down, carrying the fabric between 'the ledge m and'the slide s, as

seen in iig. 5; then, when the blade is withdrawn,

leaving the fabric double between the said slide'and ledge, the slide s is forced forward by a lever, L, pressing the meeting surfaces' of the fabric together, as seenin fig. 6, the gum causing them t'o adhere. The slide s may be moved np'before the blade is wit-hdrawn, if necessary, to hold the fabric.

The elastic bar f islmade elasticfor the purpose of raising the fabric to facilitate its delivery between the bars.

The feeding-clamp is made adjustable, so thaty different lengths may bc fed, by adjusting the clamp accordingly.

I claim- 1. The feeding-clamp a d, combined with the slotted bar E, the said bar arranged to hold the fabric, and

serve as a guide for the knife, substantially asset l 2. ln combination with the slot-ted bar E and a feeding device for the fabric, the elastic bar f, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. 1n combination with the slotted bar E and a feeding device for the fabric, the blade n, arranged'so as to double or hem the fabric, substantially in the manner described.

` CHAS. A. ENSlGN.

Witnesses:

A. J. TIBBIT'rs, JOHN H. SHUMWAY, 

